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Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani nominated Prime Minister designate

By admin | March 22, 2008

The PPP Co-chairman Senator Asif Ali Zardari Saturday nominated Senior Vice Chairman of the PPP Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani for the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.PPP Spokesperson Farhat Ullah Babar made the announcement at a crowded press conference here. He read out the statement of Co-chairperson of PPP.

Following is the statement issued by Senator Asif Ali Zardari while announcing the nomination.

“The Pakistan Peoples Party and the democratic parties in the coalition have completed consultations to make public the name of its candidate for the office of the Prime Minister.

“After holding consultations within the Pakistan People’s Party, with the coalition partners and with Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari consensus has been achieved in nominating the candidate for the office of Prime Minister.

“I have great pleasure in calling upon Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani in the name of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to accept the heavy responsibility and lead the coalition government and the nation to greater heights and a glorious future.

Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani is not afraid to lead and he knows the way.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani, the coalition government and the people of Pakistan. I wish them all success in the challenges that lie ahead”.

“On this occasion my thoughts go to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who led from the front the fight for democracy and laid down her life. I also recall the sacrifices of those countless martyrs who valiantly fought along with her throughout the years and died for the cause. Their sacrifices have illumined the path that will be traversed by the generations to come.

Brief life sketch of Yousaf Raza Gillani:

Makhdoom Yousaf Raza Gillani started his political career in 1978 after the death of his father Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain Gillani, who was also a signatory to the Pakistan Resolution. His grandfather Makhdoom Ghulam Mustafa Shah Gillani and paternal uncle Makhdoom Raza Shah Gillani both were MLAs after defeating the unionists in the 1946 elections. Makhdoom Raza Shah Gillani also held the dual office of Chairman District Board Multan.

Yousaf Raza Gillani’s great grandfather Makhdoom Raja Bakhsh Gillani was both Mayor of Multan in 1921 and member of the Central Legislative Assembly of India. He remained member of the Assembly from 1921 till he died in 1936 and was known as the father of the Indian Assembly.

Yousaf Raza Gillani was elected Chairman of the District Council Multan consisting of the present three districts of Khanewal, Lodhran and Multan by defeating the sitting Local Government Minister Syed Fakhr Imam.

In 1985 Yousaf Raza Gillani was elected MNA as an independent candidate from Lodhran district Multan and became the Minister for Housing and Works and Railways in the Junejo Cabinet.

In 1988 he was awarded the PPP ticket and defeated the sitting Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Nawaz Sharif. In 1990 again on the PPP ticket he was elected as MNA by defeating Makhdoom Hamid Raza Gillai ex federal minister. In 1993 he was awarded PPP ticket and defeated Malik Sikander Hayt Bosan. He contested election in 1997 on a PPP ticket but the Party did not win a single seat in the Punjab at the time.

He was jailed in 2001 and spent several years and could not contest the 2002 elections. He could have secured his release from jail by ditching the Party but he refused to do so.

Yousaf Raza Gillani was made the Senior Vice Chairman of the Party in 1998. In 2008 he was elected MNA after defeating the federal food minister.

He has a wife, four sons and a daughter.

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